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Distribution, bioavailability, and potential ecological risk of Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil in a potential groundwater source area

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Abstract

In this study, we examined three horizontal and vertical soil profiles along a sewage drainage ditch in order to determine the spatial distribution of Cu, Pb, and Zn in soils and to assess the bioavailability and potential ecological risks associated with these metals in a potential groundwater source area. Results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Zn were approximately at background level, suggesting that human activities (industrial and agricultural pollution) had a negligible influence on these metals in soil, and that the concentrations reflected the natural background levels in the study area. Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations were slightly higher in topsoil (0–20 cm) than deeper in the soil profile. Using a modified BCR sequential extraction method to evaluate the mobility and bioavailability of metals showed that the potential bioavailability sequence of Cu, Pb, and Zn at three depths in the soil profile was in the order Cu ≈ Pb < Zn. The potential ecological risk from the metals was evaluated using risk assessment code, and the results suggest that Cu and Zn pose no or low risk, while there is a low or medium risk from Pb. Results from groundwater monitoring showed that the groundwater was not polluted by leaching from soil.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Key Scientific and Technological Project of China (No. 2014ZX07201-010) and Natural Science Fundation of China (No. 41473086). 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Yanguo Teng, Dan Feng, Jin Wu, Liuting Song & Jinsheng Wang

  2. Engineering Research Center of Groundwater Pollution Control and Remediation, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100875, China

    Rui Zuo, Liuting Song & Jinsheng Wang

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  1. Yanguo Teng
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  2. Dan Feng
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Correspondence to Yanguo Teng.

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Teng, Y., Feng, D., Wu, J. et al. Distribution, bioavailability, and potential ecological risk of Cu, Pb, and Zn in soil in a potential groundwater source area. Environ Monit Assess 187, 293 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4541-3

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